The present invention refers to a box or articulated container, collapsible and at the same time expandable, preferably to be used for the transportation of all types of fruits or similar foods, basically formed by a base body, four walls and two tops, which in their state of assembly form a prismatic body of rectangular style section, fabricated preferably of plastic.
At the present time the boxes or containers manufactured with plastic or other materials used in the transport or storage of foods or similar goods, in general present prismatic bodies with fixed or rigid structures and it is not possible to disassemble them, and to a lesser extend fold them or unfold them, thereby only presenting internal geometric holding characteristics.
Containers fabricated of carton are provided with folds that permit them on the one hand to unfold to form a prismatic body, yet not making possible their assembly by parts, nor their assembly among themselves. Likewise, they present the following inconveniences: due to the characteristics of the materials, only dry products may be packed therein; the resistance to weight is less than that of plastic containers; and they are more prone to tears and do not permit their pile up or placing one on top of the other.
In this regard, various systems or means have been invented for the construction of plastic containers or similar units with characteristics that permit the improvement of these structures, minimizing space usage for their transportation, lowering the costs of manufacture and the structuring of weight resistance.
One of these systems is described in [Chilean] Patent No. 38,228 which consists of a container box that is collapsible and which may be disassembled, formed by lateral polygonal panels with an articulated system, and a polygonal base susceptible or capable of being surrounded by the lateral panels and a top which is also polygonal, similar to that of the base, characterized in that the coupling device consists in a dovetail joint, said base being susceptible or capable of being surrounded by an articulated lateral panel, of a thickness which is noteworthy, wherein said articulated lateral panel is formed by as many rigid segments as sides which are present in the base polygon, the panel being articulated in areas of articulation that are located in varying edges, substantially parallel the ones with the others; said rigid segments, which are adjoining to said articulation areas, having reductions in their thickness in such measures that these reductions complement themselves in a sealing relationship with the reduction of the neighboring segment corresponding to the same articulation area. This articulated panel has, in one of its borders which is substantially transversal to the articulation areas, a coupling device which consists of a dovetail joint such that, between this coupling device and the base coupling device, a union and seal is produced between the base and the articulated lateral panel, said box being complemented in a sealing relationship with corresponding reductions formed on the opposite side to that of the base and the lateral ends of the articulated lateral panel preferably having self-adhesive union or joining devices.
Another system is mentioned in the [Chilean] patent of invention No. 37,743, devised to form a container with a dismounting system made principally of plastic components, utilized for the transportation of food items, especially fruits and vegetables. It has a structure that is totally disassembled, formed by injected component parts, characterized in that said structure is composed of two head boards and two lower longitudinal strips joined amongst themselves by means of a debilitated joint that functions as a hinge. Said head boards are built with various windows of reinforcing nerve structures or ribs in their external side and with fixating tongues that protrude on the upper parts of its sides, with internal and external holders, and fitting systems for the vertical piling up formed by tying elements at the upper and lower parts of the head board, as well as a system of horizontal ties between the piled up boxes formed by fitting xe2x80x9cteethxe2x80x9d at the upper and lower parts. Lastly each headboard has protruding lower parts with internal outlying veined or ribbed structure, said box also having two upper strips provided with corresponding fitting openings (orifices), reinforcement vein or ribbed structure of difference thickness, open space areas, and a tying mechanism between the strips formed through a lateral protruding part and a corresponding lateral cavity. In addition, the box is formed with a flexible plastic film, tubular in shape, which is equipped with an intermediate reinforced weld. The box is also formed with a piece of corrugated carton that is hollowed in its surface and with lateral areas and their respective hollow portions, with areas of impression. The corrugated carton piece has a fold at the end of the lateral areas, where hollowed areas for fitting are provided.
Although these systems comply with the planned objectives, they present certain inconveniences, since none of the two invented systems allow for their structures to totally unfold or expand and it is only possible to disassemble them individually. Another inconvenience is that the costs of manufacture, since the assembly of these containers require the use of other elements or accessories.
The present invention offers a new articulated container, collapsible and expandable for storage and assembly, likewise utilized for packing and transporting different products. This is feasible because each one of the body parts are framing and joining parts, which allows the union of different body parts of the container without employing annexed elements. It likewise allows the joined body parts to rotate freely permitting the folding and unfolding of the container for storage and assembly, thus avoiding the disassembly of the box and minimizing space, and thereby being able to expand the box quickly in the desired moment.
The container has a maximum external capacity, as a result of its lateral and frontal walls being displaced outwardly in its central area, thereby providing for a larger volume of products in its cavity.
The advantages of the present container, due to their collapsing characteristics, makes it possible to minimize its volume, thereby allowing the transport of a larger quantity of units (structures) in a minimum amount of space, since upon piling up of these boxes a partial nesting effect is produced which allows the diminishing of their height.
Another advantage, compared with state of arts containers, is that the present invention does not require new accessories to assemble the container, which implies on the one hand speed on the assembly of a box and on the other hand lesser manufacturing costs and storage costs.